Will My Solar Panels Work When It’s Cloudy or Rainy?

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate the most energy per square meter when they receive direct sunlight.

But what happens when it’s overcast and rainy?

When clouds block out the sun, your solar panels will still produce clean electricity. This is true even in the wintertime (in fact, all things being equal, modern PV panels actually perform better in colder temperatures).

But how can solar panels possibly generate power under cloud cover?

Why Solar Power Works on Overcast Days

Solar panels harness both visible light and infrared light in order to create usable electricity:

Even during the grayest days, visible light still gets through rain and clouds. After all, the sky isn’t completely black—it’s just several shades darker.

Infrared light gets through even more easily because it has longer wavelengths than the visible spectrum does. This is why we’re able to see distant galaxies using infrared telescopes, despite all of the interstellar dust spanning the many light-years in between.

Even if solar panels only used ultraviolet light, they would still be able to generate electricity during cloudy days. If you’ve ever gotten sunburned on an overcast afternoon, you understand this concept intuitively.

But all of the above is theoretical. Let’s look at some actual proof that solar works just fine in cloudier, rainier climates.

Real-world Proof That Solar Works When It’s Rainy or Cloudy

You would think that countries along the equator would lead the global solar revolution. But in fact, many of the most active solar hotspots are in colder, rainy regions that don’t receive year-round sunshine:

Not far behind is the United Kingdom—a country with notoriously overcast skies. And yet, the UK has enjoyed tremendous success with its solar initiatives.

A little closer to home are New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut—northern states that receive their fair share of storms and cold temperatures. Customers in these areas wouldn’t invest in solar power if the numbers didn’t make sense. And yet, these are some of the most active markets that Direct Energy Solar currently serves.

But we want you to be 100% confident before moving forward with your solar purchase.

Put us to the test and have our expert installation team come out and analyze your property free of charge. We’ll walk you through the numbers and tell you (in advance) how much clean electricity you’ll be able to generate once you decide to go solar. Because we back these numbers up with our ironclad performance guarantee, you have nothing to lose.

Power your business with solar.

Offers and financing are available to customers who qualify, vary by location, and are not available in all areas. We customize our solar power system specifically for your facility, therefore, pricing, savings, utility bill, solar bill amounts and actual returns vary based on different factors including but not limited to your location, system size, available solar incentives and local utility rates. See terms and conditions for more details.